Where the hell is this story going? Could somebody please tell me?
When I started, I thought the story would tell itself, reveal itself to me if I just kept writing dutifully enough. But no. I’m seriously in trouble here.
I have no ideas whatsoever, and writing is like walking in the piles of snow gathering on the sidewalks outside. If I want to write my thousand words, it’s just incredible shit, and what’s the point in that? At this point, I’m not sure anymore which is more important: to write well, or just to write.
I know it’s important to keep on writing and not just sit around and wait for an inspiration, but on the other hand it’s kind of frustrating to write something, that you know you are going to have to edit a lot, or even to change completely. If you write the whole book “wrong” (to an ending you don’t want for example) it’s quite a lot of work to start editing from the start.
Any words of advice?
Uhm...
VastaaPoistaWell. When I started my novel (FIVE YEARS AGO!!!) I had two characters in mind, and one ending scene. Nothing else. I tried to start it somehow. And then the characters kindof started shaping the story. True, I posted it as fanfiction at first, and my instalments. So, after a while, my readers started to shape the story also. I enjoyed it - up to a certain point where I started thinking, man, I'm turning into a writer whore... selling out... compromising my thoughts...
Now there isn't anyone to read what I wrote. It's just me. It's damn slow. Sometimes I don't write for weeks. Then I sit down and write again a few pages.
Don't be fooled: there will be a lot of editing and re-writing...
Plot. Do you have characters? Are they good enough characters? Do their main characteristics conflict with each other? If they do, you already have a plot. Conflict is the best plot. Characters clashing and learning sg from each other.
My story is full of emotional journeys, nothing much happens. I have to come up with a lot of inner happenings and avoid it becoming boring. :p
What if you sent me a few pages of your novel and gave me the gist of the story? Like, the draft, or, where it is going, what you want to accomplish with it. I don't promise a fast reading but I'll do my best!